Spring
by DZFlash
Summary: What happens when someone destined for death is instead given a second chance? What happens when a thinker is thrown into a world of violence? What happens when hatred isn't just a temporary and petty feeling, but an inevitable destiny? It's time to make ripples, whether I want to... or not. OC Male Self-insert
1. Prologue: Silence

It's truly unsettling how loud sheer silence could be.

One moment you're full of life, the next moment... nothing. It staggers the mind as to how this can be.

Death of course, is what I am referring to. For eons the thinking mind had pondered this "next adventure" if you will. For eons more, it will continue to ponder. People much smarter than myself often hypothesized, theorized and simply dwelled upon this unanswerable question; "What is death truly like?"

Of course I was not one of those pondering minds.

I mean of course, why would I be? As far as I knew, I was simply a 23 year old guy, working an average job, living an average life, filled to the brim with average responsibilities. Nothing about my life was exceptional or exciting. Much like other people, I had people close to me that I could call friends, I had to work a typical job so that I could pay my bills.

It wasn't a bad life by any means. It was simply... average.

That's why in the moment I died, I didn't think about my life. I thought about what was next, what truly lay in front of me.

...Okay, so maybe I lied. Maybe I did ponder death every once in awhile. Surely that just meant I was human? Well regardless, in that moment, before my passing, I seriously wondered "what was next?"

What I found out was truly mind-boggling.

* * *

Let me return to my original point: it's surprising how unsettlingly _loud_ sheer silence could be. I mean, it's an oxymoron, so how does that make any sense? How can silence be loud?

Well it's simple of course; you can't drown out the incessant thoughts that course through your mind. You see, those thoughts are the filler to the silence, and god can they get annoying.

Now, let me return to my second point: I lived an exceedingly average life. Nothing to complain about, but nothing to write a book about. Now imagine my surprise when I found myself coming to, to the noise of machines.

Wait. Noise of machines?

Something wasn't right here. I knew for a fact that I died. Trust me on this, the feeling of death is not something you can simply imagine.

Yet... I felt myself returning to consciousness.

Slowly yet surely, my hearing started returning to me. After what seemed like ages (when in reality it was probably just minutes) I heard a woman's voice.

"...kra system has been stabilized. Now, we'll have to move onto to ensure that he isn't bra..." was all I heard before I promptly blacked out again.

Okay, that was _really_ inconsiderate there body. I'd like to be conscious so I can find out what the hell is happening.

Anyway, what felt like another eternity (probably just a few hours), my feeble mind was finally starting to pull itself back together.

The first thing I felt was soreness, everywhere.

However, it wasn't the kind of soreness that comes from an injury. That's more like an "owie" soreness.

This was more like a... "I slept for like 24 hours and my body is just aching" kind of sore.

Anyway, slowly but surely, like a person who was rudely awoken, several hours before they actually had to wake up, I started to open my eyes. It was a relatively dark room, with the curtains being drawn, preventing any light from shining through to the room.

Not that there would've been light to filter through, it seemed like there was only a little bit of light coming from the outside.

Then it hit me. The headache to top all headaches. The migraine to make me wish I had never been born.

As a reflex, my hand flew to my head to soothe the aching, and the first thing I felt?

A ton of hair.

What.

A ton of hair? I hadn't grown out my hair since my senior year of high school! That was 5 years ago! What the hell is going on here?

* * *

With a stiff neck, I slowly moved my head around to see where I was, to get an understanding of the situation. What I saw both surprised me and didn't surprise me, surprisingly at the same time.

I was in a hospital room. However I wasn't alone. There was a young child snoozing in the corner. I couldn't really make the child out as they were relatively covered by the darkness. I could only make out the general shape, and the fact that they were hunched over. Well, I also heard snores, so it wasn't too hard to figure out exactly what they were doing.

I could only think one thing.

"Damn it."

Figuring it wouldn't be worth it to hear the brat whine that I interrupted their sleep, I just lied back down and stared up at the ceiling. I had a strange feeling about all of this.

Then it hit me.

I wasn't in pain.

Despite my accident... I wasn't in pain.

I don't care what drugs they have me on, I should be feeling _something_. Whether it be pain, or the euphoria of the painkillers' effect. I decided to test if I was really in pain or not.

Well... might as well go all out and confirm my suspicions of not being on painkillers.

I flung myself onto the ground. Relatively pathetically mind you. I did it by sort of rocking my body from side to side, until I could gather enough momentum to fling myself onto the ground. Many things happened at once.

First and foremost, I _felt pain_. Yep, that just about confirms that I'm not on any sort of painkillers. I let out a small groan in response.

However that was the least of my worries.

You see... I hadn't realized that I was connected to a heart monitor. You know, that machine with the lines that track your heartbeat, and make a really loud screeching sound when the heart stops beating, or in my case, if the wires get unconnected from the body.

Yeah, I was dumb and didn't realize that I had one connected to my body.

Suffice it to say, quite a few things happened in response to that.

First and foremost, the kid dozing off on one of the chairs in my room awoke with a jerk. He leapt to his feet and yelled in shock.

Hmm, he sounds a little familiar.

Then, I started hearing what could only be described as a cacophony of activity outside the room. At least 4-5 people burst into the room, knocking the poor kid out of the way in the process. As they hit the lights as quickly as they could and ready to go into full on "save patient" mode, several things happened.

What was once 4 people yelling now became 4 people looking complete gobsmacked and at a complete loss for words.

I got a better look at the kid.

Then what was confusion and pain turned into pure astonishment to me. Not only astonishment, but complete and utter disbelief.

That kid.

That kid looked no older than 6 or 7.

That kid.

That kid had black hair and black eyes.

That kid.

That kid was wearing a black sleeved shirt with a raised collar.

THAT KID.

THAT KID WAS SASUKE UCHIHA.

So while what I assumed to be nurses and doctors gaped at me on the ground and the kid, who I now realized was _Sasuke Uchiha_ also gaped at me, there was just one thought that was echoing in my head as I stared back at what was now a group of people.

It's truly unsettling how loud sheer silence could be.

* * *

 **A/n:** Thanks to Vaengir, Lang Noi, Kettobase and Silver Queen for inspiring this. It is indeed a self-insert, and to damn myself even further, the SI will be of an Uchiha. Here's hoping I don't tread gary-stu territory. Leave me a review if you like, hopefully I didn't screw things up too quickly. Apologies if it seems scattered, but I really wanted to convey that sort of feeling in the first chapter. It should become more coherent as time goes on. Additionally, I'm still coming to grips with writing stuff that aren't essays, so apologies if it seems off. Hopefully I'll find my comfort zone.

 _Until next time, DZFlash out._


	2. Chapter 1: Awake (Intro Arc)

(A/N: Contains minor spoilers for the end of the manga.)

* * *

So here I was, on the ground, with about 5-6 people gaping at me. It looked as if a ghost had gotten up in front of them, did the hokey-pokey, a few somersaults and then said "T-t-t-t-hat's all fooolks!".

Okay, maybe not _that_ extreme, but you get my point right? Apparently, it was a giant surprise that I was awake and on the ground. So I decided to masterfully and tactfully handle the situation in the only way I know:

"Uh, hi?"

...

...

Nope, they're still gaping at me. Well, that idea's shot. In any case, I'm certainly not doing myself any sort of favors by staying on the ground. So with that in mind I decided that I might as well get up and actually try to find out more about the situation I was in. It doesn't do well to prepare for a situation in which you have absolutely no knowledge of. Slowly but surely, as the ache persisted from when I awoke, I got up, using the bed as somewhat of a crutch.

First thing I realized was that I'm considerably shorter than what I'm used to being. Like, I was shorter than the machines! I mean, I guess it's entirely possible that they have giant machines, but it's more likely that I shrunk or something. After all, who the hell makes gia- okay, them staring at me is really starting to piss me off.

"OY." I shouted at them as I turned around to address them. "STOP STARING AND GIVE ME SOME GODDAMN ANSWERS."

Well, that snapped one of them out of the reverie. The kid to be precise.

You know, the kid I described to be _Sasuke Uchiha_.

"Nii-san... You didn't ask any questions..."

Well that shut me up. The brat was right. I just sort of let loose there. At the very least, SOMEONE else talked. Progress was made.

"Er... right." I stated rather lamely compared to my previous outburst. I took the time to actually take in the details of Sasuke. He didn't look much older than 6 or 7 but had terrible bags under his eyes. Like something had been keeping him awake. Likely, when I jumped out of bed earlier, I interrupted what must have been one of the few times he'd actually slept in recent times. The only thing is, why is he so under rested?

In any case, I began to ease myself back into the bed. I mean, I might as well lie back and relax and hopefully I'll get the answers I need. After situating myself so that I was in bed but in an upright position I looked back at Sasuke, with a somber expression on my face.

"Well I should start with why the hell is everyone staring at me like I have a second head?"

The sooner the multitude of eyes are off me, the better.

* * *

After a few moments, in which everyone digested my question, the small group began to break out of their stupor. As they sheepishly left the room to no doubt go about their business and save lives instead of wasting time staring at a patient, one of the doctors stayed behind to answer me.

"Well Uchiha-San, it's quite simple. You were brain-dead for 12 hours prior to your awakening. However, your chakra system had continued to function in an entirely normal manner. As you are no doubt aware, this is highly suspect and to be frank, has never happened in the history of modern medicine. You see, when the brain stops functioning, the chakra system begins to..." The doctor continued to ramble on, but I wasn't paying attention. I mean how could I? He had dropped several bombs on me and thrown me through a loop while doing it.

First and foremost, I was brain-dead? That and the fact that I have a chakra system? Furthermore, he called me Uchiha-San... Meaning, I'm an Uchiha? So I'm directly related to Sasuke, but if that's the case then why is he the only one there? Why aren't there any other Uchiha about, and who the hell would let a child be alone in a hospital room. Then, it clicked; it all made sense now.

"...is the powerhouse of the cell, of course, that's not to say that chakra isn't playing a significant function after all." He continued to drone on, somehow getting more excited about the drivel he was talking about.

I interrupted him. Rather rudely, if his expression was anything to go by, but I needed answers, and I needed them now.

"Doctor... why was I put into the hospital?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"Hm? Oh, your older brother brought you in. You were comatose upon arrival, but during your coma..." He trailed off, not quite sure what to say.

"Leave."

However, it wasn't me that said that. Sasuke said that, looking more gaunt and haunted than a 7 year old ever SHOULD look.

"I... of course, please pardon me. I'll inform Hokage-Sama of your recovery." He said as he left us in the room. As the door closed behind him, Sasuke sighed, ran a hand through his hair, as he sat down in the seat he was in before he was awoken by my antics. He looked distant, troubled, and above all else, _vulnerable_.

Sasuke... vulnerable? This is such an absurdly alien emotion that I'm actually at a loss for words. I mean, how many times can we say we've seen Sasuke vulnerable throughout the show/manga? I can think of maybe one time, and that was at the end, during his big fight with Naruto. But to see him actually be vulnerable? He looked down, finding the floor to be infinitely more interesting in this moment. After a few minutes, he finally spoke up.

"They're dead."

* * *

It took me a moment to realize what he was saying. So, I suppose my thoughts were right on the mark. The massacre had occurred- and judging by the way everyone (and Sasuke) acted, fairly recently too.

"...I see." I said, rather lamely at that. I mean, when a kid drops a bombshell like that, what are you _supposed_ to say? Especially if the ones murdered weren't even your own family? I'm sure Sasuke was expecting some sort of rage, or some sort of well-wishing, or _something_ out of me, but I'd never felt anything close to what he had felt. "Er... were there any survivors?" I tentatively asked after a few moments.

A beat.

"Yes. Three survivors."

Outwardly, I didn't react, but inwardly, I could only ponder, who? Who else had survived? Am I even in the right universe or perhaps I had slipped into an alternate one where Itachi had left a few alive. I mean, I'm alive aren't I- oh.

"You, me and Itachi?" I had replied. Sasuke's head shot up wearing an expression in what could only be described as a combination of incredulity and rage. He jumped up and started advancing toward me.

"HOW...How could you have possibly known that Ita-... _That_ _man_ had survived?!" He asked, anger and suspicion coursing through every syllable.

Shit. There's no way I could have known that Itachi was a survivor, let alone that he was the one who had murdered the clan, could I? According to the doctor, I had been comatose when the massacre had occurred. However... that then begs the question of who I am. Or I guess the correct question would be, whose body I'm inhabiting now. Who was my older brother? What had my past self done? What am I capable of?

Sasuke must have picked up on my hesitance and likely saw my eyes glaze over because he repeated the question, albeit way more calmly. He was by my bedside, looking deathly calm.

"How could you have known that he survived as well?"

Crap. I have to think of _something_.

"Er..." I started, not quite aware of how I was going to fix this without arousing suspicion. "I... er... " I trailed off. After a few moments, I decided and said "I... er... must have overheard people speaking by my bedside. It must have gotten through my coma.. somehow?" I finished weakly, hoping he'd take the bait.

A beat.

Another beat.

Sasuke gave a nod and walked back to his seat to sit back down. I let out a sigh of relief, not realizing I had held my breath after I gave my excuse. Thank god seven year olds are so gullible.

This is a mess. A complete and utter mess. What am I supposed to do? I'm apparently an Uchiha, one of the sole survivors of the massacre.

Then, as if the universe answered my plea, and decided _"nah, let's inflict more torture onto this poor guy"_ , we heard a gentle knock on the door.

Sasuke and I sort of just looked at each other with clear confusion on our face, before I spoke up.

"Err... come in?"

In came a very old man. He had a gentle nature about him, but you could just feel... _power._ It was rolling off him, beginning to engulf the room, in what I could only describe as a calming sensation. The fact that the very mood of the room changed by his mere presence made me wary. I decided to look at him and what I saw... Well...

He was clad in red and white, with a giant hat. On the giant hat was the symbol for 'Fire'.

He was once hailed as the God of Shinobi, he's also known as the Professor.

He was the Sandaime Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

* * *

Suffice it to say, I was gaping like a fish, with my jaw dropped and eyes slightly bulging. Sasuke had simply rolled his eyes and looked away, no doubt to start (or continue) his brooding.

I was simply awestruck. I mean, the Third Hokage was for all intents and purposes _legendary_. Why in the hell was he visi- oh yeah, the whole braindead, survivor of the massacre thing. Eesh. Deciding to act it up a little, I said in the most awestruck voice I could (mind you it wasn't hard to do).

"H-Hokage-Sama!" I squeaked a little as I attempted to try and get up a little so as to properly greet him.

Chuckling slightly, he had simply waved me down. In a deep, gravelly voice that exuded confidence, authority, while still staying calm and gentle (how he managed that I would seriously LOVE to know), he had said: "Please, settle down. I'm only here as an informal visit, to check up on you Haru-kun."

Haru? As in Spring? Hm, I suppose that was my name. Nice to know I won't have to resort to going around introducing myself as 'Random Uchiha #12'. As I was dazing away, lost in my thoughts, the Hokage spoke up again.

"How are you feeling? You had given us quite the scare." Snapping me back to reality, I looked up and stared at him. If I thought Sasuke had looked haunted, the Hokage's got him beat three ways to Sunday. No doubt the recent events of the massacre, and Itachi's wishes and all the details behind it are still weighing down upon him.

A few moments passed before I answered him. "I'm... fine. Er... Hokage-Sama. I feel a little sore, but that's probably from being in bed for the last several weeks." I paused, not quite sure what else to say. Luckily, I was saved from the need to have to think up of something to follow up with, as the Hokage took my silence to mean I was done.

"Good. That's very good... I hate to stress you any more, as you've no doubt heard and are still recovering from the news. However, it's very important you tell me anything you remember from before you were comatose." He said gently yet firmly. Sure he phrased it like a question, but you could tell by the one of his voice that he wasn't asking, he was ordering me.

I tried to school my face as best I could. This was my chance. This was what I was waiting for. I can feign having a selective amnesia (which I suppose, isn't really too far off the mark).

"Erm... that's the thing Hokage-Sama." I began, somewhat nervously. "I actually... don't really remember anything."

The Hokage let out a sigh of disappointment (and possibly relief?) and said in a somewhat comforting tone, " I suppose that's to be expected, after all..."

I interrupted him before he could continue his thought and conclude our meeting. "No, you misunderstand Hokage-Sama." I said, my voice beginning to become more confident and businesslike. "When I said I don't really remember anything, I mean... I don't really remember anything prior to waking up. I didn't even know what my name was prior to you stating it. I was only able to recognize you and Sasuke." Deciding to gamble a bit more. I continued "Who is Itachi? Who am I? How old am I? What kind of person was I?"

To really drive my point across, I stated in a pointed tone, with my eyes narrowed but staring directly at the Hokage.

 _"Who am I?"_

The shocked expressions on both Sasuke and the Hokage had told me all I needed to know; my gambit worked.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, here we are, officially starting off the fic, and we learn the OC's name! Anyway, I hope I drove across the point of how unsure Haru is. He considers it to be a gamble, because in his head, lying to the Hokage is basically a gamble- if Hiruzen wanted to he could squash him like a bug, and if Haru messes something up or lets off that he knows too much information, he could be considered a spy, or potentially killed off for knowing too many state secrets. Anyway, next chapter we'll be getting some more information and background about Haru.

Oh, before I forget, I'm gonna be sparse with my Japanese word usage. I'll probably only use it for Jutsus and titles, as those tend to flow better, and even with those it'll be sparse. Let me know if I get a little overboard with it, as I really don't want to turn this fic into a horrendous excuse to spout out random Japanese words.

With that... _DZFlash out._


	3. Chapter 2: Introspection (Intro Arc)

I found myself looking up at the ceiling, counting the tiles for what must have been the hundredth time trying to take everything in- the situation I found myself in and who I- no, who this body was.

Haru Uchiha.

I was about 11 years old (having just turned it several months before the massacre). Evidently, I was born on March 21st, on the Vernal Equinox. I assume this is why I was literally named "Spring". I suppose our parents weren't too creative considering the fact that they named my older brother after water. Which speaking of, my older brother was actually someone of note, especially to the plot of the _entire_ manga.

Funny enough, it was Sasuke that told me most of these things. It just so happened that the Hokage had a "meeting" that he could "absolutely not miss". More than likely, he just didn't want to stick around for the inevitable awkward retelling of my life.

What a chicken.

Anyway as I was saying before I sidetracked myself, I was 11 years old and had already graduated from the Academy before being accepted as an apprentice to one of the officers of the Military Police, Inabi Uchiha. He had been a straightforward kind of man, not one for subtleties and was actually fairly powerful in his own right. Of course when Itachi massacred the clan, he was among the dead, so I'm out a Sensei. Pity.

Well, at least I don't have to attend the academy anymore. I mean sure the material would have been interesting… for about a week. Then it would've likely just turned into the standard school experience of: study, tests, homework, and boredom.

You know,the typical school experience.

All in all, I was apparently the typical Uchiha according to Sasuke; that is to say, I was top of my class, awesome, extremely good at what I did, and a loyal and loving clan member. Granted, Sasuke is six years old, so his interpretation of things might have been a little skewed- especially since it's a given that he wouldn't pick up on the subtleties and politics within the clan.

Anyway, based off Sasuke's description of me prior to the massacre, I assumed that I was very likely arrogant, had a holier-than-thou attitude. Sure I guess my former self was nice to Sasuke, but then again, he was a kid and Uchiha tend to promote unity within the clan. It certainly would've helped that currying the favor of the clan leader's kid wasn't a bad idea and that our brothers were extremely close.

In any case it wasn't hard to guess that I wasn't placed on a genin team for a mixture of reasons, the first of which was probably to "keep me pure as an Uchiha". Of course being an Uchiha also meant that I likely inherited the semi-god complex, which meant that I probably didn't play well with others. Of course the increasing tension between the Uchiha and the village probably helped to contribute to this as well. While it wasn't toosurprising that I inherited many of the flaws that the Uchiha are (unfortunately) renowned for, it was a little shocking that I became such a typical Uchiha given who my elder brother all, he had ended up dying as one of the most loyal, selfless shinobi Konoha ever had.

Yeah, if it wasn't a giveaway from what I said earlier, my older brother was THE _Shisui Uchiha_. You know, the Uchiha that basically helped shape Itachi? He also had the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan ability, Kotoamatsukami that could subtly rearrange your memories around to the benefit of the wielder? So on top of all that, Shisui was basically a legend in the making, having already faced down Ao and a squad of Kiri ninjas while still coming out ahead. Yeah, _that_ Shisui Uchiha.

Yeah, that was kind of a bombshell in itself.

So in spite of Shisui being my older brother, my former self seemed to fall prey to the curse of hatred and that insufferable pride that the Uchiha were known for. I wonder if that meant that I was also involved with the massacre or if I was left blissfully unaware.

Either scenario didn't sound too appealing to me.

Although it was more likely that I'd be left out, given the fact that I was barely 11 and just a few months after I had graduated from the Academy. Still, Itachi was just 13 when they asked him to start to spy on the upper echelons of the Konoha brass, so I shouldn't rule anything out.

Hm. I suppose this means I could potentially be suspect to being a traitor like the rest of my clan. While Itachi vouched for Sasuke's innocence, I have no idea if he did the same for me. I'd like to think he did, otherwise I'd probably be lacking eyes right now. Well, hopefully the Hokage will be soft on me because I'm still a child, I just lost my "family", and it's certainly helpful that throughout the series (prior to his death) Hiruzen Sarutobi was a big supporter of letting children enjoy their childhood.

So as the Hokage was making his esca- I mean while he was leaving to go to his very important "meeting", he happened to mention that we'll discuss my situation once I'm cleared for service. Whether that means another apprenticeship or me being placed with other genin, I wasn't way, it will be rough. After all, I essentially have to relearn a decade's worth of chakra manipulation, muscle memory, and general knowledge.

Unfortunately, this whole situation is a double edged blade. Of course it's nice knowing that I was at the very least an above average genin born to a powerful clan, but this means that great things are expected of me. I'm one of three (four if you count Obito) remaining Uchiha in the world. The Uchiha were powerful, they were intelligent, and above all, they were prideful. Even bearing in mind the "amnesia" I have, I'm still expected to act a certain way and I have a reputation that precedes me.

Lovely.

However, before I can formulate an idea as to how to go about surviving this war-torn and forsaken world, something it hit me like a ton of bricks.

I'm Shisui Uchiha's younger brother. I'm one of two remaining loyal Uchiha. I can't just skate by in the background and hope that things go well.

I'm actually going to be relevant to the plot.

Shit.

SHIT.

* * *

This is bad.

My mere existence actually completely and utterly ruins everything.

Sasuke isn't alone anymore. He may not have the drive or ambition to kill Itachi. He may not defect to Orochimaru.

Hell, he may not even get the cursed mark.

Furthermore, Naruto connected with Sasuke BECAUSE he was alone.

If Sasuke isn't alone anymore, then Naruto may not connect with him. If that's the case, Naruto may not develop his work ethic and drive, whichmeans he may not become the Naruto that'll eventually go on to save the entire world.

He won't have that drive to bring Sasuke back. He won't have that drive to become someone strong enough to protect Konoha.

If that doesn't happen, we're suddenly out one "Child of Prophecy" to stop the impending threat of Akatsuki, Obito, Madara, and Kaguya.

Plus that whole clan of Ōtsutsuki that seems to be hell-bent on destroying Earth for some reason.

Without Sasuke and Naruto, this world is completely and utterly doomed.

Yep, my existence is bad. Like really, really, REALLY bad.

Okay. Stop.

Relax.

Breathe.

After taking several deep breaths, I stopped panicking and began thinking. How will I fix this? How do I keep the plot intact while still making it appear that I'm doing my duty?Well… the bigger question is whether or not I'd want to keep the plot intact. I mean, who says Sasuke can't be powerful in Konoha? He was a prodigy even before the massacre having learned the Fireball Jutsu in a week…while he was 7 years old. That's an impressive feat no matter who you ask. Furthermore, if his brother could become legendary whilst staying in Konoha, why can't he?

Of course this whole argument pretty much circles back to Naruto. He is after all, the son of the Yellow Flash and the Red-Hot Habanero. Even with his pedigree notwithstanding, he was the Child of Prophecy, the Savior of this World, and of course Konoha's Number One Hyperactive, Knuckleheaded Ninja. His growth was dictated by Sasuke. If Sasuke's not quite so alone, then how will this affect Naruto? Will Naruto have that same attitude, that same drive? Of course the ever-looming threat of Akatsuki is present, but can I say for sure whether or not he'll be as motivated?

The best I can think of is a maybe. I mean I could argue that with Sasuke still in Konoha, Naruto is more driven to protect his precious people. If he's more driven to do that, then the ambition and drive might still stay the same. Although on the other hand his growth during the original series was monumental, pretty much to the point of catching up to Sasuke within a few short months. I'd have no doubt that if they continued at the same pace; Naruto would have been able to surpass my younger cousin.

I bit my lip in frustration. The issue when it comes to theorizing like this is that ultimately you don't know how they'll play out. A linear and one dimensional story, is now something I'm forced to live in and interact with on a daily basis. After all, the smallest change can make giant ripples. For all I know, I could talk to someone on the street, a fellow shinobi, making him late to report for a mission, making their team late on moving out, thereby making them barely miss an Iwa patrol unit, saving their lives in the process. Of course the inverse of that could happen and I could cause a squad to die.

Oof, I sound like Omoi with all the paranoid theorizing.

Not that it was a bad thing. All the same, trying to plan too much can lead to my downfall. After all, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

* * *

At some point during my musings, I must have drifted off because when I awoke, I could see a little bit of sun starting to creep up from over the Hokage Monument. There weren't many sounds yet, so it must have been relatively early, even for a village full of shinobi as I suspect I'd certainly hear a lot more commotion both from the outside and inside of the hospital.I decided to prop myself up so that I was in a sitting position and decided to just lay the cards out. I'm gonna hash out a battle plan so I know how to approach things. Looking around I noticed that for a Hospital Room, this was pretty nice and spacious. The walls looked to be freshly painted, the curtains separating the beds looked new and there were two beds. I guess being one of the last surviving Uchiha had its perks. Speaking of, the second bed was now occupied by Sasuke. I looked at him as he slept, seemingly content, and any resolve I might have had to ignore him or let him fend for himself started slipping away. How can I look at myself in the mirror knowing that I could stop Sasuke from suffering that grisly and torturous fate?

For better or for worse, Sasuke was family. I can't knowingly turn him away or hope he grows to go down the path of an avenger like Itachi had been so desperate to force upon him.

Perhaps it was because I was raised with a strong belief that a family's love is one of the strongest forces out there, but I found my resolve shaping up to make sure Sasuke grows strong, to make sure he has a family. To be that brother that Itachi unfortunately no longer can be.

After spending a few minutes taking in Sasuke's relative peace, my mind started to work again. It's probably for the best if I didn't let anyone in on the fact that I'm not "of this world" and have potential future knowledge. The thought flitted across my mind of telling the Hokage, but in all honesty that's probably way too risky. What guarantee is there that there won't be eavesdroppers or that he wouldn't divulge this information to his teammates, or worse, Danzō?

I let out a bit of a snarl. _Danzō Shimura_. He's a venerable elder, a decorated war veteran andalso happens to be the literal embodiment of Konoha's darkness. He's also the leader of the technically illegal but tolerated Anbu army, course Danzō plays a vital role by allowing Konoha to maintain its innocence while taking care of its dirty was the one who helped and manipulated the leader of Ame, Hanzō, into destroying the organization that only sought peace in their homeland, Akatsuki. Well, they're not so peaceful anymore, especially considering Obito was able to exploit Nagato and Konan's pain and agony and twist that into creating an organization that's ultimate goal was the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Of course no sane human could possibly imagine the consequences of their actions would reach that far but nevertheless it's hard to see him as anything but villainous. However, a thought suddenly hit me: he was the one responsible for the subjugation and alienation of the Uchiha; he was the one responsible for the clan's demise! As I recalled more and more about Danzō, anger began to course through me. Suddenly everything around me became extremely lucid as I couldn't help but let out another snarl.

That goddamn old bastard. HE WAS THE ONE THAT STOPPED MY BROTHER FROM PREVENTING THE COUP! HE KILLED SHISUI!

However, as quickly as the anger came, the anger flitted away. I calmed down and everything began to return to normal. I unclenched my fists (without realizing that I had even clenched them in the first place) and took a deep breath. That was certainly…strange. I lost control of my emotions rather quickly. It makes me wonder whether or not those were the emotions of me or this body. Perhaps a small part of Haru still exists. After all, why would I get so emotional over the death of a person I had no relation to or that I had threadbare knowledge about? Perhaps Haru and I simply… melded together. Perhaps my mind was simply stronger and ended up absorbing his or something to that effect. Whatever the case may be, I should be more wary of emotional outbursts. I have a bad habit of letting my anger cloud my judgment and ultimately I make an irrational misstep that almost always ends up costing me.

After calming down some more, I returned to my original thoughts or rather the person they were about; Danzō. The fact is, is that he is a problem, and likely one I should deal with, if for nothing else, to punish him for everything he's done. Although, my biggest concern regarding him was the confrontation between him and Shisui.

Yes… As Shisui was about to use his Sharingan to persuade the Uchiha to stop the coup d'état, Danzō attacked and took his left eye. Of course shortly after, he met with Itachi and imparted his right eye onto him so as to stop Danzō from recovering the eye. He unfortunately committed suicide soon after that and in doing so unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan for Itachi. I could understand Danzō's rationale of course; if Shisui was able to use it on the entirety of the clan, then who's to say he wouldn't continue and eventually down the line go rogue, or use it on the higher-ups of Konoha. It's a weak rationale that was probably just used to cover-up the fact that he wanted that power himself, but I can certainly see the concern there. Nevertheless, the fact remains; Danzō has one of Shisui's eyes. Perhaps I was being a realist or perhaps I was simply being selfish, but I needed to get that eye.

I'm willing to assume that at some point down the line, I'll unlock the Mangekyō Sharingan. Not a pretty thought to be hopeful about, but if I'm going to survive, I need every tool at my disposal. However, using is going to be an issue, because the more I use it the more I lose it. I'll eventually go blind if I overuse the Mangekyō so the most ideal situation then would be to hope that Itachi would feel guilty enough to pass onto me Shisui's eye instead of giving it to Naruto to use for a failsafe against Sasuke, should he go rogue. Then the only issue would be to get the other eye from Danzō. Of course it won't be that simple, as I doubt someone would willingly pass on something that gives you monumental power to sway others, but the fact of the matter is that I need _both_ of Shisui's eyes in order to achieve the final step: the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. With that… I'll be able to use Susanoo, Amatarasu and whatever else comes with it. With that… I'll be able to survive when shit hits the fan and everyone gets power-ups left and right. I don't really fancy the idea of dying _again_ so this should be my end-goal. Then at least I'll be able to help Naruto and Sasuke when they take on Kaguya.

I groaned out loud putting my head in my hands. In order to survive I'll have to begin training, doubly so if anything to make up for lost time. In my past life, I wasn't athletic- like at all. I was scrawny so I was able to run fast, but that was about it and even then I had little to no stamina to back that up. I subscribed to the theory of brain over brawn and as such never really saw a point in athletics. It also didn't help that again, I was super scrawny. I think if given the choice I would need some sort of tutor at first then join a genin team. It would definitely help to have other people watching my back on C-Ranked missions or higher, because as far as I'm concerned, _anything_ can happen now. For all I know, Naruto could take a stray kunai to the head, and that's the end of everything. I'll have to ensure that I become powerful, by any means necessary.

After all, I was Haru Uchiha, younger brother to Shisui Uchiha and one of the two remaining, loyal Uchiha. This world _will_ change, I _will_ survive and I _will_ become powerful.

No matter what the cost is.

* * *

(A/N): Well here's the newest chapter. Apologies if it seems overly angsty or too centric on the thoughts. I thought this would serve as a good chapter to basically get most of Haru's introspection out of the way (hence the name of the chapter), establish goals that Haru would like to accomplish, and hopefully illuminate some of Haru's characteristics… good and bad. He's determined, he's loyal, but he's prideful, arrogant, and ultimately selfish. I do want to say this though: just because Haru thinks something's going to happen, doesn't mean it will necessarily happen. I'm personally a big fan of "cause and effect" when it comes to story-telling, that is to say, something Haru does now, will have an effect later on. Despite this being a SI OC, you should probably expect that Haru will make mistakes, he will come out ahead at times and behind in others. Yes, I plan on making my character (and the other characters as well) suffer, they'll pay consequences for their actions and ripples will be made. After all, that's life isn't it?

Also, I'm not quite sure anyone really cares about this, but for the intents of this fic, Shisui would be roughly 16-17 at the time of his death. A lot of people assume that he's the same age as Itachi, but after reading the passage of when they met from Itachi Shinden, and the general timeline (specifically when he fought Ao from Kiri), it seemed to make sense that he's a little bit older than Itachi. That would make the age difference between Haru and Shisui about 5-6 years and the age difference between Itachi and Shisui about 3 years. Probably not a big deal in the scale of things but, I thought I'd throw that out there for anyone who was mildly curious.

Lastly, I would sincerely appreciate some criticism. This is my first attempt at storytelling through writing (that is to say this is my first time trying to write creatively) and I feel like I'm missing the mark at points but hitting at others… So any criticism would be greatly appreciated- good or bad.

With that… _DZFlash out._


	4. Chapter 3: Discharged (Intro Arc)

So as it turns out, waking up from being a brain-dead coma patient isn't actually all it's cracked up to be. For one thing, people poke and prod at you like a particularly fascinating object. Secondly, people treat you as if you're made of glass. Thirdly, if you just so happened to be one of two survivors of a now deceased clan people feel sorry for you, and thus shower you with pity.

Add the fact that apparently the knowledge of you being an amnesiac spread rapidly throughout the village and you've got yourself a giant headache. Unfortunately, I've managed to bring attention to myself without doing a thing.

I could feel my patience thinning, and rather quickly at that. In my last life I wasn't especially known for my everlasting patience. In fact I was known for quite the opposite- I had a short fuse when it came to idiocy, or what I perceived to be idiotic/annoying. That's why it took everything I had to not completely lose my temper at a group of nurses outside my room. They were talking in relatively hushed whispers, giggling and gossiping about various patients (and I heavily suspect I was a main topic of discussion with the amount of times they looked at me). I decided to try to rein my temper in by counting to ten. It didn't work. If anything it frustrated me more and I became more irritated, not only at the tactic not working but at the nurses not shutting the hell up. Finally, after glaring daggers at the gaggle of nurses for several minutes, I just snapped at them to get the hell away from my room.

It probably wasn't the best idea to snap at the people who helped care for me and likely ensured that I wouldn't die, but in my defense they were really _annoying_.

Ultimately, there wasn't a whole lot I could be doing at the moment. I was essentially confined to being in the bed or "so help me god, I WILL strap you down Uchiha-San." threatened a particularly frustrated and annoyed doctor after she caught me trying to do some light exercising.

That's another thing that I'm trying to come to grips with- the fact that I actually have to be physically fit. I just find it all to be so boring and mindless, but all the same, if my survival was to be ensure, I'd have to suck it up and do the best I ican. After all, what kind of person would I be if I couldn't even protect the ones close to me?

I let out a deep sigh of irritation. There was literally nothing to do. I would pester Sasuke and get some more information about our predicament and ask him more about my life but unfortunately the brat's in school. I guess in spite of the trauma the kid went through, the powers to be likely decided that with me surviving and being a stable rock for Sasuke, alongside the fact that it's been roughly a month since the massacre, that he would be capable of returning back to the Academy. After all, they had to continue to groom us to be excellent Shinobi; the political ramifications could prove to be costly if the other nations start thinking that Konoha is losing its grip on the powerhouse status it retains. After all, losing one of the founding clans and a clan generally known to be absurdly powerful while churning out prodigies like clockwork would certainly attract some attention; doubly so if said clan was annihilated by a 13 year old. That's why it would be doubly important that Sasuke and I live up to and exceed expectations, after all, we now possess one of the most powerful and now one of the rarest bloodlines available.

A voice spoke up, breaking me from my thoughts. "Uchiha-San?" I looked up and saw the doctor that had threatened to strap me down earlier. Admittedly, I tolerated her more than the others because she seemed to get stuff done, and in an efficient matter as well. I turned my head to face her.

"Yes?"

"Well…" She started before referencing the clipboard in her hand, no doubt it containing my charts and such. "Despite it being only a week since you woke up from your coma, your vitals have stabilized to safe levels, with your cognitive functions have been restored prior to your… erm… entry to the hospital. Ultimately, your prognosis looks good and…" She paused, thinking for a moment, and then started looking a little sheepish before she continued on to say: "Oh! Excuse me; what I mean to say is that you're fine and that you'll be able to check out this afternoon." She chirped with a smile.

"Ah… I see. Thank you very much." I said in a quietly. "I appreciate all that you've done for me, especially over the last week when dealing with all of the… people." I finished tersely. You see, over the past week, ever since my miraculous recovery I've had various intrusions and annoyances, ranging from doctors trying to study me to various Konoha citizens hoping to curry favor with what people assume to be very easily-influenced and well off clan-children. I also had a few "Kunoichi" (and I use the term EXTREMELY loosely) from my year attempt in trying to "care" for me and pretend that they were destined to be my true love or something. They didn't even make it to my door.

In addition to the Curse of Hatred, I can only assume that the Uchiha clan also suffers from the Curse of Groupies.

Anyway, my doctor has luckily been playing gatekeeper for both sides of the gate; the only one who was allowed to pass were nurses that she chose, Sasuke, and of course the Hokage. However, this also meant that the only ones allowed to leave were the people I just mentioned. She's stopped me from leaving twice. I can't really begrudge her though. It's reassuring that there are doctors around that truly and utterly care for their patients. It's also reassuring that she's a no-nonsense kind of person that made my recovery (and unknowingly to everyone else) transition to this new body.

After a few moments, I continued, "Like I said, thank you. But, if it's okay with you, I think I'll wait for Sasuke before I check out."

She tilted her head in slight confusion and I assume before she could stop herself, asked "Huh, why?" In response I simply arched my eyebrow and looked at her. After a few moments it clicked in her head. I noticed a slight blush starting to creep onto her face as she said with embarrassment: "O-oh, right. That's fine." She turned away and coughed relatively loudly so as to sweep away the awkward moment. "A-Anyway! Like I said, you're all set, so whenever Sasuke gets here, you're free to go. If there are any issues, such as persisting headaches or anything feeling out of sorts, please do not hesitate to stop by. After all, it's better to be safe than sorry!" After marking a few things off my chart and once again scanning my vitals and charts, she left the room.

I let out a sigh of relief before lying back onto my pillow. At the very least, I can now do something other than sitting around all day. I had been going stir-crazy with little to nothing to do. I avoided planning too much so as not to trip myself up but I had a general plan of action. I was going to have Sasuke show me around Konoha a little, perhaps talk about the clans' affairs and how we'd want to handle that, and proceed to the Hokage Tower and hopefully talk to the Hokage about my Genin team assignment (assuming that he doesn't send me back to school to relearn everything). All in all though, it felt good to know that I would be free soon and that I can take the first steps towards ensuring everyone's survival.

* * *

I decided to take it easy for the few hours I had remaining and took a nap. I figured it would be a good way to kill some time before Sasuke arrived. I woke up about thirty minutes prior to when Sasuke usually comes to see me and decided it'd be a good idea to start changing out of the hospital gown I'd been wearing into something that was actually presentable. I paged a nurse and when she entered and inquired as to what I needed. I asked if they had any sort of clothing I could have or borrow since it seems like the clothes I had prior have all but disappeared. She smiled and obliged my request, leaving and returning after a few minutes with a fresh set of clothing. They were relatively simple in design; only being a white long sleeve shirt with the Konoha emblem emblazoned on the front in black, and I also received a pair of black pants to match. I couldn't help but scoff a little when I saw the design. Of course I didn't have any doubts as to the amount of nationalism and propaganda that probably enraptured the nations of this world, but this was just…tacky. I suppose there wasn't really much I could do, and let's be honest, beggars can't be choosers.

In any case, I put on the outfit and found it to be a big baggy on me. I guess they don't normally cater to kids my age and size (that would need a change of clothes in any case). No doubt these are probably intended to be for newly made Genin, so kids about 2-3 years older than me. I went into the bathroom to see how noticeable it was, and luckily it wasn't too bad. I stared into the mirror and saw a relatively short kid with black hair, a thinned face, and black eyes looking passively back at me. It was odd to see my reflection in this new body. I chucked a little to myself. The irony wasn't lost on me that in a situation in which I'd have to identify myself from a line of people, I probably wouldn't be able to get the right answer. I ran my fingers through my newly shortened hair and thought back. A few days after I woke up, I decided to cut the jungle that was my hair. I basically just had a nurse take scissors to my hair, only telling her to make it short and look decent. She actually did a pretty decent job. My hair was short and spiky, but spiking toward the right, kind of like a young Asuma Sarutobi. It goes without saying that Sasuke was a little shocked when he saw me. Apparently, the owner of my body had been notorious about having long hair, at some points resembling one of the late elders that Sasuke had vaguely heard about in class. Judging by the way my hair looked prior to me hacking it off; I'd have to guess he was referring to one of the late and honorable fathers of Konoha, Madara Uchiha.

Tch. Honorable my ass.

At least I could take solstice in the fact that for the time being, that bastard is dead. Granted he was able to completely and utterly manipulate Obito into becoming his patsy, but at the very least, it was something to work with.

Maybe if we're lucky, we can stop Madara from being revived altogether.

As I walked back I scanned the room to see if there was anything important that I could be potentially leaving behind. To my irritation, my eyes rested upon the corner in the room filled with gifts from well-wishers and sycophants. I remember expressly telling a nurse to get rid of all that junk but he no doubt thought I was being silly and just ignored me. Regardless I was appalled at the thought that people would apparently send immense amounts of chocolate and other gifts just to impress and sway an 11 year old.

…Granted it would have worked had I been an ordinary 11 year old. Regardless, it still felt cheap and dishonest.

…I really shouldn't expect much else from a society of assassins and killers, should I?

Letting out a sigh, I put on the sandals that were offered to me with the rest of my clothes and walked out the door. As I was walking down the hallway, trying to ignore the various looks and whispers that followed, I made it to the elevator before running into Sasuke. It should go without saying that he was relatively surprised to see me not only out and about, but heading toward the elevator as well.

(He was aware of my escape attempts and subsequently wasn't impressed. In my defense though, I'm sure that in a few years he'll come around to trying to escape too.)

My thoughts of corrupting Sasuke aside, I answered the unasked question. "The doctor said I was in good shape and was able to check out of the hospital. I figured I'd wait for you to get out of class for the day so you can show me around Konoha a little before we make our way to the Hokage." I paused for a few moments to let him register what I said before continuing on with a small, teasing smile. "That is, if you're not too busy to help me out."

Sasuke just sort of stared at me. I'm not sure if he understood that I was making fun of him a little, but nevertheless, he agreed.

* * *

"Haru…" Sasuke started as we were walking out of the hospital together. I looked at him and found that he was looking down at his feet rather than addressing me directly. After letting a few moments pass by and returning my gaze forward I responded.

"Yes, Sasuke?"

"You really don't remember anything? You don't remember anything about your brother Shisui… or the clan… or even Ita-". He abruptly stopped speaking and let out a small growl of anger. I looked back at him and noticed that he tensed up and looked even more haunted than usual.

Deciding not to let him brood any longer; I replied in a measured voice. "I'm sorry Sasuke. My memory of before waking up is extremely… spotty." I paused looking for the right words. "I can only barely recognize faces, and do not recognize any names or events. I'm afraid for the time being, I will be a burden to you." I finished softly, now looking away feeling a little ashamed at having to admit that.

"No."

I looked up at him and saw that he was a few steps behind me, having stopped fully. He looked at me with a resolute, if not determined expression on his face. It was strange… Despite Sasuke being who he is, and the way he acted normally, in that moment… Well, in that moment he looked like Naruto.

"Haru. Even if I have to teach you how to walk again. Even if you have to learn how to fight again. I promise you, we _will_ restore our clan to its former glory, and we _will_ bring that… _man_ to justice."

I was completely and utterly shocked. I never expected Sasuke to react in this way, especially in such… _Naruto_ fashion. If I have to be completely honest, it was almost a little humbling. After all, Sasuke is the incarnation of Indra. However… this was a worrying development to me.

I gave Sasuke a small smile, and he returned it with a confident one.

As we continue walking along the path, both of us resolutely ignoring the whispers and staring, my mind was coursing. Had my mere existence caused a complete 180 in Sasuke? Perhaps by sparing me, Sasuke's clinging to the idea that he's no longer alone and subsequently won't have to shoulder this alone. No… he was still angry at Itachi and still wanted to kill him. The way he spoke earlier confirms that, but why was he so resolute and… well why was he so _Naruto_ -like?

Then it hit me. Sasuke was always this way, even in the canon universe. If Sasuke truly cares about something, he will stop at nothing to achieve it. He also cares immensely about the people around him, and that's likely why he left Konoha in the first place; he saw that as dragging him down. After all, we are talking about the same person who sacrificed himself to save Naruto during the Bridge, the same person who inspired Naruto to become strong. Hell, if it wasn't for the Sound 4, there might have actually been a good chance that he would have given up his revenge altogether.

After all, he became a completely different person when he finally acknowledge his defeat at the hands (or hand) of Naruto. Sasuke is a loyal, caring person that will set out to achieve what he needs to in order to protect something he cares about, and he's always cared about family.

"Haru? We're here."

I looked up from being distracted from my thoughts and to my surprise; I saw the academy in front of me.

"Er… Sasuke? This is the academy isn't it? I thought we were going to the Hokage?"

Sasuke let out a sigh of irritation. "Haru… The Hokage is located behind that building behind the academy." I raised an eyebrow in confusion at him. Before I could interject Sasuke pointed to a giant building with the word 'Fire' on it. "See that? That's the administrative part of the village. It's where the Hokage is."

"…Oh."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "C'mon, follow me."

As Sasuke led the way, I took in my surroundings. The place was certainly… bigger than I had thought. I think the term "Academy" is a little underwhelming, seeing as it's essentially the size of a school campus. I could also appreciate the fact that the strongest ninja in the village (or at least the strongest perceived ninja) is closest to the youngest. I kinda wonder if this was done intentionally with the whole "Protect the king i.e. next generation" philosophy that Konoha also had.

In any case, when we made it to the reception area, I looked at the receptionist who was busy reading a magazine. I rolled my eyes and could only wonder how the gatekeeper for the Hokage could be so inattentive. After about a minute or so of waiting to see if she would notice me or not, I coughed loudly and purposefully. Blushing she threw the magazine down and looked up, readjusting her glasses. She frowned a little at the sight of us. "Yes, how can I help you?"

"I'd like to see the Hokage. My name is Haru Uchiha and I believe he's expecting me."

* * *

A/N: Holy hell this chapter did not want to be written. Apologies if this is sloppy, I decided to just finish it up and get it out. I'll correct and re-write parts of it I'm sure within the next day or so, but I figure I might as well get it out to people who want to this story start going somewhere. Again, any criticism is greatly appreciated and I do make it a point to read every review.

Thanks for reading… _DZFlash_ out.


	5. Chapter 4: Confrontation (Intro Arc)

Despite the secretary making feeble attempts at turning me away, I went into the Hokage's office anyway. My first impression of the office was that it was relatively Spartan. The office itself was dimly lit, but there were little to no personal effects around. As I scanned the room, I saw quite a few things. The first thing I saw were the portraits of each of the Hokages wearing traditional clothing, with serious expressions on their face. It was kind of… I don't know, was it possible to be both humbled at the sight of power while also being reassured because it showed they were human? Whatever the case, there were also several bookshelves filled to the brim with books and scrolls. Finally, there was the giant desk in the middle that said "Fire" in the middle. At the desk was the Hokage, looking down and reading a scroll while absentmindedly smoking from his pipe. My nose wrinkled as a result of the smell. Due to his frequent smoking, the room smelled a LOT like tobacco. In fact, the walls are probably stained with the smell of smoke by now. Bleh.

"Hokage-Sama". Hiruzen looked up and his eyes darted over me. I have little to no doubt that in that moment he assessed if I was a potential threat, my abilities, and about fifty different ways to kill me. I wouldn't expect any less from the Professor and the strongest man in the village. However, his serious face morphed into a pleasant expression as he smiled and said my name fondly so as to acknowledge me. Behind us I could hear footsteps coming in at a rushed pace.

Out of breath, the secretary came up and while breathing heavily started gasping out "Y-you can't be here." After regaining her breath, she continued. "Hokage-sama is a very busy man, and you can't waltz in here as you please!"

The Hokage let out a low chuckle and raised his hand so as to pacify her. "Now now Ayaka-chan. Haru was correct when he said I had been expecting him. He'd been in the hospital you see." Standing up, he began to clear off his desk before looking up again. "Ah, Ayaka-chan, was there something else you needed?"

"N-nothing. Hokage-sama." She said, now flustered. She turned around to leave before turning around to face us again. She adjusted her glasses and read from the notebook. "Ah Hokage-sama, you asked me to remind you of your meetings. You have a meeting in one hour with Utatane-sama and Mitokado-sama about the-"she stopped suddenly, looked at me, and readjusted her glasses. "Er- you have a meeting with Utatane-sama and Mitokado-sama in one hour. Also upon conclusion of that you'll have to finalize and sign off on all of the mission reports from today." With a huff, she turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Upon the exit of the Sandaime's secretary, I took a seat in front of the Hokage's desk while I waited for him to finish clearing off his desk. After a few minutes of relative silence, the Hokage finally sat back down and looked at me.

"Well Haru, I'm glad to see you're out of the hospital. You look well." He started kindly. He then took a few moments to relight his pipe. He inhaled deeply and then exhaled the smoke to the side of us so I wouldn't get a face full of smoke and tobacco. At least he's considerate even if he's still smoking in the same vicinity as me. After about a minute of that, the Hokage put his pipe back down before devoting his full attention to me. "I apologize, I know it's bad for my health, but we old people often get stuck in our ways." He gave me a small but sincere smile. "Now, what would you like to talk about?"

"Well, Hokage-sama, I was hoping that we would be able to discuss my situation as far as being a Genin was concerned."

"Ah yes. If I recall correctly, you were apprenticed to Inabi-kun." He fiddled with some papers that were on his desk, and then continued with a frown marring his aged face. "Well that is before… Anyway, the question that I'd like to ask you first is: What would you like to do? It would be easy for us to make a decision, but I would like to hear your input, if you have any that is."

"Well, I actually thought about this for quite awhile and I've decided that I think it would be most beneficial to both me and to the village if I were to join a 4-man team."

The Sandaime scrutinized me with a raised eyebrow. "Are you sure Haru? I am sure there would be a great deal of Jōnin in the village that would be more than happy to take you as an apprentice."

I closed my eyes, breathing in and out, slowly. I opened my eyes to look at the Hokage. "Yes sir, I am sure. I honestly think that as it stands, I'm too much of a liability to go into the field for a C-Rank mission. Ultimately, I think that I will benefit by having peers and comrades to watch my back as I watch theirs. After all, based on what I've heard and what I've seen during my stay at the hospital, I'm fully aware just how dangerous this world can be." I paused for a moment before continuing. "Furthermore, I hope to be placed on a team that won't treat me any differently just because I'm one of two remaining and loyal Uchiha. I don't want favoritism, I don't want special treatment, I want to be able to survive." I finished resolutely.

The Hokage picked up his pipe, inhaled deeply and let out a giant cloud of smoke. At my statement, he switched between scrutinizing me and looking at various papers that were strewn around his desk. After several agonizing moments in which I was treated to complete and utter silence, he stood up. He walked away from his desk toward the open window that faced the Hokage monument. He stood there, gazing upon the monument for several more agonizing minutes.

Then, several things happened. As he turned back around, he faced me with a, serious and apathetic expression. As soon as he turned around, I felt what I could only describe as a "pulse" as shadows leapt from various parts of the room. Before I knew it, a figure had landed on the desk in front of me. The figure had a stylized mask of an animal and leapt at me with a kunai. Time began to slow down. Everything became unbearably lucid. I was panicking. I felt completely and utterly helpless as I had no idea what to do. My body was yelling at me to survive but I could only watch as the kunai came closer and closer to my face, ready to penetrate my skull and kill me. I was frozen stiff, and no matter how much I willed my body, to do _something_ I just sat there, waiting to die. "This… this isn't fair! Please! Can anything, something save me!?" I thought desperately. The kunai came within an inch of me before stopping completely. I could feel a trickle of sweat falling down my face. The tension in the room was palpable. The adrenaline was pumping through my veins as I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I could hear my heart going a mile a minute. In the corner of my eye on both sides, I could see kunai pointed at me. Without even turning around I could tell, there was one to the back of my head as well. I felt another "pulse" similar to one before. Without a sound, the figures with the animal masks disappeared. The Sandaime walked forward, inhaling and expelling more tobacco from his pipe before sitting down.

He delicately placed his pipe on the desk as he faced me looking apologetic and guilty. "I sincerely apologize for putting you through that Haru. Your behavior upon waking had been… suspicious to say the least." He paused to gauge my reaction and despite not seeing too much of a difference he continued on. "Your behavior now is the complete opposite of what your behavior was prior to the coma. Of course in the medical field this isn't unheard of, especially with amnesiac patients." He began to rearrange and clean up the mess made by his ANBU. Before looking back up, the age more evident and pronounced on his face now. "Unfortunately, as you stated before, this is a dangerous world. It isn't unheard of for… enemies of the state to attempt to place one of their agents in guise of one of our own, so as to weaken the village. Staging attacks like these are but one of the ways we've used to vet out potential spies, after all, a trained agent would have been able to react to some capacity." He sighed deeply and rubbed the bridge on his nose. "Again, Haru, I'm sincerely sorry that we had to do that to you. It was not my intention to do that when you entered, but nevertheless it helped to confirm your identity."

It took everything I had so as not to clutch my heart and hyperventilate. I was just now recovering from the shock- if you could call it recovering. I'm sure I was staring at the Hokage wide-eyed. That was completely and utterly terrifying. I was utterly helpless and what's more there was nothing I could do if the Hokage wasn't bluffing. If he wanted to kill me, he could have just done so without any sort of struggle or even a fight from me. This just further cemented what I knew all along.

 _I need to get stronger._

"I… its fine." I managed to choke out after a few minutes. "I… can understand your concern. That was…" I trailed off.

"Excessive?" The Sandaime chuckled without mirth.

"…Yeah. However, I hope you realize that this doesn't change what I said earlier. If anything, this reinforces what I said and decided."

"Fair enough. However, I do believe that you can benefit from weekly sessions from a member of the Yamanaka clan. In fact, I think your new sensei may even be able to help you in regards to that."

My eyebrow rose at the sound of this. So the Sandaime already had plans for me in the scenario that I wanted to be on a team. Well, I might as well push my luck. "Hokage-sama, you said my new sensei… Do you already have a Sensei and team picked out for me? That was rather quick, wouldn't you say?" I said in a rather clipped tone.

This time, the Hokage did chuckle with mirth. "Perhaps it's your youth Haru, but you don't make it to my age in this world without some planning. Anyway, to answer your question, I arrived at multiple outcomes, and thus, had contingencies and plans for each."

I narrowed my eyes at that. Call it paranoia, but if he was telling me this, this meant that he didn't consider me a threat in the slightest sense of the word. How dare he? After all, it was his inability to negotiate and ability to be swayed by his teammates to the death of the Uchiha! It was his fault he couldn't rein in Danzō! IT WAS HIS FA-

"Haru?"

I snapped out of my stupor. That was… worrying. "I- I'm sorry Hokage-sama, I'm not quite sure what came over me there."

The Sandaime studied me for a few moments, before taking another drag from his pipe. He looked down at some papers for a few moments before looking back at me. "In any case, you are to report to room 345 of the Academy tomorrow morning. I understand you're still unfamiliar with Konoha since waking, so if you simply follow Sasuke to the academy when he goes in the morning, you shouldn't have to wait too long for your new team and sensei to arrive. Now, is there anything else you'd like to discuss Haru?"

"Actually Hokage-sama, I'd like to talk ab-"and before I could finish my statement, we heard yelling coming from the lobby area. I cocked my eyebrow at the Sandaime who returned it. If we can hear the yelling then whoever's yelling definitely has a set of lungs on them. Soon after, we heard a thump. Soon thereafter, with the yelling continuing, we heard footsteps coming from the hallway before the bespectacled secretary from earlier came in, flushed.

"H-Hokage-sama! Please, can you assist with dealing with the dem-" she cut herself off upon seeing the Sandaime's face and then making the connection toward me. "Er, what I mean to say… could you PLEASE assist in dealing with… with… THAT BRAT."

The Hokage let out a sigh before looking toward me apologetically. "I'm sorry Haru; I believe the remainder of our conversation will have to continue another day." He stood up and left the room, his Hokage cloak billowing about him. I stood up to follow him out of the room and into the lobby where I saw something… or rather someone I hadn't anticipated seeing for quite awhile.

In front of me stood a blond haired, blue-eyed brat, dressed in a black shirt with a red swirl, and green goggles. He was glaring daggers at my younger cousin who was returning the glare with equal intensity.

In front of me stood the Child of Prophecy, the one day fated to be Savior of this World, and the Number One Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja, Naruto Uzumaki.

Of course he was 7 and acting like a complete and utter brat, but still, it was a little humbling to see him. Nevertheless, not wanting the situation to escalate I let out a sigh and stated to Sasuke "C'mon, let's get going. You still have to show me how to get home… wherever that is." Before I could go out the door however, Naruto slid in front of me and looked up at me with accusing eyes.

"Oy! Are you the bastard's big brother? Why is Sasuke such a bastard? Does that mean you're a bastard too?"

I looked at him a little dumbstruck. He really doesn't like Sasuke or know the definition of tact. It took everything I had to not laugh, and even then I failed. I burst out laughing and despite the looks I got from everyone (except Naruto, who despite looking somewhat confused, looked ecstatic that he made someone laugh). I patted Naruto on the head and fixed him with a grin. "I'm Sasuke's older cousin, Haru. I'm a Genin too. Grow strong eh? That way, you'll be a worthy rival for my little cousin."

Before giving Naruto a chance to respond, I walked out the door past him and Sasuke soon followed. As we were heading down the steps, Sasuke was pouting at me. After a few moments when it was clear I wasn't going to ask, he finally spoke up. "Hey… Haru, what was that all about? Why'd you give that loser the time of day?"

I simply smiled at him. "Well Sasuke… that kid's got something to him, you know? I think he'll grow to be strong."

With another pout and a scoff, Sasuke childishly replied to me. "I doubt it. That was Naruto; he's the dead-last of our class. He can't even do the basics without struggling!"

"You never know Sasuke… people can surprise you."


End file.
